Starfield won't launch, and I can't figure out why.

[seths101]

TL:DR - I've basically done everything that every site and video has told me to do, but Starfield still refuses to launch. I have no idea why it won't, and I'm at my wits end.

Originally I played Starfield through Game Pass, and I put in a little over a days worth of game time. I then wanted to do a modded run, but realized that basically none of the mods out right now work on the Game Pass version, so I went ahead and got a Steam key, and Steam authenticated and added the game to my library. Before I installed through Steam I made sure to delete the Game Pass version. Ever since then I have not been able to run Starfield through Steam. Starfield will simply not launch at all. I've restarted Steam, restarted my computer, verified my files integrity three times, checked and updated Visual Studio C++ and DirectX, checked for any driver updates, there were none available, checked for any Windows updates, there were none available, uninstalled and reinstalled the game three different times, and uninstalled and reinstalled Steam. Only after reinstalling Steam and re-downloading Starfield, along with another file integrity verification, did Starfield launch, so I quit and tried to relaunch it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke, but it was. I am at my wits end here and have no idea wtf is going on. Any help would be awesome.

[Skillet]

That sucks. Check Task Manager Apps to make sure Starfield is not already open.

[Warrior1461]

im having the same problem

[Witkh13]

Are you trying to run the ASI Achievement Enabler? https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/252
Renaming the bink2w64Hooked file back to bink2w64 solved this issue for me. Baka Achievement Enabler appears to work just as well, but is based on the script extender, so it breaks everytime Bethesda updates the game's exe file.

[FWSWBN]

test it (works fpr me):

right click on starfield.exe
go to compatible mode and set it to win 8 (sounds crazy, works for me at last).

start game

[TheCr33pur]

I had this issues some years ago with Elder Scroll Online, really couldnt figure out the problem. Until one day i build a new rig with better hardware and finally got it to go. There are so many things can go wrong, for one thing you need a pretty good decent pc to play this.

[Witkh13]

Yeah, the new hardware excuse empirically fails to work for me. Yesterday, Starfield was installed by me through GAMEPASS/PC on the exactly same rig & it ran better than it does on Steam. A pervious issue of dialogue choices taking forever to pop up, or NPCs taking forever to respond to said choices; Failed to exist on the GamePass/PC version of the game. So the Mr. Todd Howard excuse fails, instead of what the meme of him suggests.

Conversely, uninstalling a mod did help me get my Steam version working again. The OP said he came to Steam to mod, so it is much more likely that some error was introduced with that than it being hardware issue. Especially as the OP's post also implies that the game does work on GamePass/PC for him on the same hardware.

The launch of Elder Scrolls Online was notoriously flawed for many. The experience was abundantly enjoyable to me. Suggesting that it is the fault of all who has problems with running Starfield, {without looking at their specific scenario} seems rather foolish to me. So foolish as to easily be seen as insulting, if that is the response chosen by the gamer.

If they are any good, XBox PR team probably had a long talk with Mr. Howard about why it is bad to blame the customer for anything; That is true even if it is the customers' fault.

[jdmcclintic]

I found a very nice and easy fix on Win 11. Right Click on the Icon. Pick App Settings. It should open Apps>Installed Apps>Starfield. Scroll down to Reset. Click on Repair App.

Starfield should now open properly.

[NeoJ4K3]

Originally posted by jdmcclintic:

I found a very nice and easy fix on Win 11. Right Click on the Icon. Pick App Settings. It should open Apps>Installed Apps>Starfield. Scroll down to Reset. Click on Repair App.

Starfield should now open properly.

i can't find this at all...?

[Fed Donovan]

same here..and i cant figure it out